- Introduction
- Why being in school matters
- Report an absence
- If your child cannot go to school
- If attendance does not improve
- Fines and prosecution
- Get help with attendance
You may get a penalty notice if your child has unauthorised absence. This includes taking time off in term time without permission.
Leave of absence in term time
Schools can only authorise time off in exceptional cases.
- Ask the headteacher before you plan any time off in term time.
- The headteacher will decide if your reason is exceptional.
- If the school refuses and you still take your child out of school, the school will record the absence as unauthorised.
Unauthorised time off can lead to a penalty notice (fine) or prosecution.
Penalty notices
A penalty notice (PN) is a fine. It explains:
- why you are being fined
- how much you must pay
- how to pay
- what happens if you do not pay
If you do not pay, the council may take further action, which can include prosecution.
Fine amounts
| Absence - per parent/per child | 0 to 21 days | 22 to 28 days | More than 28 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| First absence (since 19 August 2024) | £80 | £160 | Prosecution |
| Second absence (within 3 years of first PN issue date) | £160 | £160 | Prosecution |
| Third absence (within 3 years of first PN issue date) | N/A | N/A | Prosecution |
Prosecution
If attendance does not improve after support and warnings, the council may take you to court.
The court looks at:
- your child’s attendance record
- the support the school or council offered
- what steps you took to improve attendance
The court can give a fine or another type of order.
Education Supervision Orders (ESOs)
An Education Supervision Order is a court order setting out what you and the council must do to help improve your child’s attendance.
The council will explain what the order means and what happens next.